24 & 72 Hour Equipment
Your individual equipment is designed to keep you functional in the field and to help you do your job. Equipment is divided into two parts the 24-hour pack for short activities and the 72 hour pack for longer duration activities. This gear list was derived from the gear lists suggested by several CAP wings and other organizations including the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), and modified to meet CAP needs.
For your equipment to be effective, you must insure it is clean and serviceable. Occasionally you will have to replace items such as medicine, batteries or food because it has passed its expiration date.
Ensure your gear is properly secured! nothing should be loose where it could snag in the brush or bang against your body when moving.
The 24 hour pack
The 24 hour pack is what you carry while searching. As its name infers, in case of an emergency, this equipment will help you survive in the wilderness for 24 hours. In addition, your 24 hour pack is part of your uniform, when the public sees you on a mission, they will probably see you wearing your 24 hour pack. Because of this, your 24 hour pack must present a professional uniform appearance. Though packs do not need to be identical, it is advantageous for unit members to have similar 24 hour packs. Every ground team member will have this equipment.
The 72 hour pack
The 72 hour pack is designed to help you live in the field for more than one day, typically 48 to 72 hours. It includes your sleeping bag, tent, and other long term comfort items. The extended duration is not subject to uniformity, color and size does not matter. The major constraint is how much you can carry. Even if the mission is only expected to last one day, you should always bring your 72 hour pack. You never know how long a mission will last, or whether you will go straight to another mission from the current one.
You must be able to carry all your equipment at once, in case you must “hike in” to a mission base. Normally, this means leaving room in your base gear pack to stow all of your field gear.
